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The geology of the Canning Basin, Western Australia

Citation

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Abstract

The Canning Basin is the largest sedimentary basin in Western Australia, and the second largest basin in Australia. Excluding
the seaward extension of the basin on the Rowley Shelf, and the southern part of the basin, south of Lat. 24° S, which are
unknown, its area is 175,000 square miles, roughly the size of Spain. The sediments overlie a Precambrian basement, which
in most areas consists of crystalline rock (gneiss, schist), and in the north-eastern part of unaltered sedimentary rocks.
The Bureau started field work in the Canning Basin in 1947 and continued every year up to 1958. This work was carried out
by geological parties equipped with land vehicles (1947-56) and with a helicopter (1957), by seismic and gravity parties,
by an airborne magnetic party, and by a stratigraphical drilling party (1955-58). All work was based on air photographs, at
a scale of 1:50,000, prepared by the R.A.A.F. This bulletin incorporates the results of all these surveys. The main published
material is: Traves, Casey, & Wells (1957),* Guppy, Lindner, Rattigan, & Casey (1958), and Brunnschweiler (1954 and 1957).
Geophysical work is described in unpublished records. Fossils collected by Bureau parties in the Fitzroy Basin have been the
subjects of several monographs, which have been published by the Bureau. The first study of plant fossils from the Canning
Basin is by White (Appendix 6). 4-mile geological series maps and explanatory notes have been published for Derby, Lennard
River, Mount Anderson, Noonkanbah, Yarrie, Anketell, Paterson Range, and Tabletop; and maps and explanatory notes of Mount
Bannerman, Billiluna, Lucas, Cornish, and Stansmore will be published shortly. Other major reports on the area are included
in McWhae, Playford, Lindner, Glenister, & Balme (1958), Reeves (1951), and the numerous papers published by Teichert (1941,
1947, 1949, and 1950). The first attempt at compiling a geology of the Canning Basin was made by Reeves (1949, unpubl.). Photographic
cover extends to 24° S, and the examination of the basin south of 24° S is postponed until air photographs are prepared. This
Bulletin thus deals with the (greater) part of the Canning Basin that lies north of 24° S.